Evidence of meeting #154 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was finance.
A video is available from Parliament.
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes. It was seven strictly speaking for nurses, the high-skill professions, but for the other professions, those that we'll cover with the new pilots, it's five.
Liberal
Randeep Sarai Liberal Surrey Centre, BC
Is the course requirement for a caregiver the same as previously? They must have completed a basic caregiver course in the country they're coming from, or is it just the education, grade 12?
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It's just the education. The old live-in caregiver program required the special education, but we have not re-initiated this requirement.
Liberal
Randeep Sarai Liberal Surrey Centre, BC
If anyone who came here under previous programs that we're trying to fit into this doesn't meet those language or education requirements, do they have any other options they can use to stay?
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
They can still work, so the temporary pathway is still possible. People could renew their work permit and hopefully upgrade their skills if they can. It's a hard call, but we figure that the caregiver program is like any other economic program, so we want to make sure that they will establish themselves successfully here and have the option of moving into other professions if they want to. These are really minimums, CLB-5 and the equivalent of one year post-secondary education.
Liberal
Randeep Sarai Liberal Surrey Centre, BC
In the days to come, we will be hearing from different caregiver associations and those who assist them. Have you heard any feedback on this program from existing support networks for caregivers, if they're positive about it or if have challenges with it?
Director, Federal Economic Programs and Policy, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
On the interim pathway, I think in the conversations that we've had, there's a certain degree of welcoming. I think a lot of concern, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, is around what the three-month window means for their ability to gather the required documents and submit everything at the same time.
In general, the announcements of the new pilots will be done in June. I think that's when we'll gear up. A lot of what we're doing now is making sure that information is provided on the criteria of the entire program so that caregivers can make an informed choice and not spin their wheels.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
We've heard in the past about abuse that took place under the live-in caregiver program. In fact, this committee even had a hearing where serious allegations were made by caregivers against a member of Parliament. This hearing went on.
Does this issue still exist?
Director, Federal Economic Programs and Policy, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
In terms of abuse, one of the things, which I think is in the bit of this consultation report that I mentioned on the website.... I think there's always.... The nature of the employer-employee relationship is a difficult one because the employee is tied to an employer, and the isolated nature of caregiving means that we have to make efforts to make sure that they are aware of their rights once they're in Canada.
One of the reasons we're moving toward an occupation-specific model is to give a caregiver who may be at risk of abuse or facing abuse the ability to get out of that relationship and find another job.
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
The fact is this did exist, and so the question is: Are employers still taking advantage of caregivers in unacceptable ways?
Director, Federal Economic Programs and Policy, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
As far as I know, I don't have a ton of evidence or specific cases to—
Conservative
Director, Federal Economic Programs and Policy, Immigration Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Not that I'm aware of.
It may be, Mr. Chair, but I don't have that information at my fingertips.
Conservative
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
If I can add to what my colleague just said, Mr. Chair, the department is in fact examining the possibility of providing, for people in Canada on a work permit who have experienced or are at risk of abuse, the opportunity to apply for a work permit that would be open, as opposed to one linked to the employer. We're working on it. It's not finalized, but that should come out this year.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Tilson, for sharing your time with me.
I'm going to ask a few questions about this program and then move to a different item that I think we need to discuss at this committee.
On the two new pilot programs, the last time, I asked the officials who were at the table whether or not the caregivers would still have to go through new medicals after their two-year work requirement, or would those medicals be done up front, when they are assessed before they come to Canada? Once that's been completed, would they would have to do new medical checkups after their two years?
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes, they will. We try to avoid as much duplication as we can with this program. People will apply up front for the work permit and permanent residence. For the work permit, people need to have a valid medical examination to come here. With our regulations, people would have to also have a valid medical examination at the time they receive permanent residence, which, theoretically, would be after two years or more.
You have to remember that people are taking care of vulnerable people healthwise, whether it's children, the elderly or people with medical needs. We have to balance the two. I realize it's an extra cost for people, and if you have a caregiver coming with a family it adds extra costs, but we have to balance that with public health.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I have to say that it is a lot of extra cost, and some of the family members don't readily have access to a medical practitioner who can make that assessment. They have to travel with their family to another location, and often the travel is expensive. They have to stay overnight, then they have to pay for the medical. Having to do a number of different repeated medicals is very onerous for families. This doesn't help them in that sense.
My other question is.... You say they will be assessed up front. The announcement made it sound like all they have to do now is to meet their two-year work requirement, and then the family would be able to come. In reality, there's this one change that is important on the medical side.
The other piece is that even if you give these individuals their work permits—for the adults—will they have to renew their work permits on a regular basis, or will they be given a work permit for the two years they have for work here? That's also an onerous and expensive process.
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes.
I don't think the details have been announced yet, so I don't want to venture too far. The work permit will cover a reasonable period of time to allow people to gain experience and complete the permanent resident application.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Okay, but that doesn't answer my question. What does “reasonable” mean? Is it a two-year period? Is it shorter than that?
Director, Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division, Immigration Program Guidance Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It's obviously going to be longer than two years because that's two years, which is a minimum requirement for—
